What You Should Do Before a Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is a preferred method for hair removal due to many reasons, such as:

• Precision: Lasers are highly targeted and they only work on the intended parts of the skin and leaving the surrounding areas undamaged.
• Low pain level: The pain level lies between a normal shaving and waxing session. As such, it’s a relatively friendlier method compared to other hair removal practices.
• No chemical substances are used: The laser does not require any other medicine to remove the hair. Only the light that’s converted to heat energy is required.

However, irrespective of all the above positive reasons associated with laser hair removal, certain actions or steps require adherence before a laser hair removal. Some of them include:

1. Have a consultation with your doctor: This should be the first step while seeking laser hair removal. You might not be aware that lasers work best on dark hairs, which are on light skin. However, there are still some other types of laser that are optimized for dark colored people. Discussing this issue with the doctor before a laser hair removal gives the doctor enough time to prepare in terms of types of equipment and aftercare treatments.
2. Use shaving methods that leave a tangible hair shaft: The hair should not be removed to the root. Always ensure that there is an area on which the laser can direct its light. The heated shaft helps in closing the hair follicles and thus reducing or completely stopping the hair growth process. In fact, it’s recommended to shave a day before the material day for the laser hair removal.
3. Inform your doctor of any prescription medications you are taking: Some medications can increase the sensitivity of the skin or even interfere with the efficiency of laser treatment. As such, if you are under birth control pills, acne treatment, antibiotics or any of the photosensitizing medications, you should discuss this with your doctor.
4. Remove any makeup or beauty enhancement substances used on the surface of the skin: You should only use water and soap to clean the area to be treated. If a remover is used to remove any of the beauty creams, the skin should be well rinsed with water. The skin should be in its most natural state before a laser skin treatment.
5. Take a pregnancy test: Those extra hairs giving you sleepless nights might be as a result of hormonal imbalance brought about by pregnancy. It’s also not wise to undergo a laser hair removal if pregnant. Women with polycystic ovaries are also disadvantaged on laser hair removal.
6. Be prepared for more than one session: The laser hair removal process only targets the growth phase of the hair. As such, even after the initial laser treatment, there will still be some hair growth. In most of the times, four to ten sessions might be required to achieve a complete reduction of hair to a point where you can stop shaving.
7. Have a test patch on your skin: The safest way to ensure that the laser hair removal will work well on your skin is by having a real experiment done on the skin. This will reveal any complications that might arise, and this makes the doctor be well prepared.

How Good Is a Laser Hair Removal Treatment?

Although a majority of the population prefers lasers, it’s not a permanent hair removal treatment. However, it thins the hair and also helps to close the hair follicles. This reduces the hair density as well as its health. With time, the weakened hair might die away or stop growing altogether. The efficiency of the treatment might also depend on the experience of the doctor, the type of laser used, the color of the skin as well as the health status of the patient.